As the opening of next month 's Winter Olympics in Sochi , Russia , approaches , the controversies surrounding the games seem to accumulate by the day .

These have included criticism of Russia 's human rights record , particularly its treatment of homosexuals , its environmental policies and , with the recent suicide bombings in Volgograd , its anti-terrorism actions and strategy in the Caucasus .

Calls to boycott the games and other international pressure have led Russia to release high-profile dissidents including Mikhail Khodorkovsky , the ex-oil tycoon , and members of the punk band Pussy Riot .

Yet for all the heat generated in these controversies , one of the most significant issues of all surrounding the Olympics has been nearly ignored : Recognition of the indigenous people of Sochi , the Circassians .

The Circassians , who are mostly Muslim , resided in Sochi for millennia . In the 19th century , an expanding Russian Empire coveted their territory -- which is south and east of Russia proper -- and used overwhelming force to defeat them . Russia killed around 1.5 million Circassians and expelled a similar number , mostly to the Ottoman Empire , with many dying of famine and disease . Entire tribes were decimated ; for example , the Shapsugh tribe was reduced from 300,000 to 3,000 people .

The bloodiest battle of all , which Circassians refer to as their `` last stand , '' occurred in the vicinity of Sochi , the Circassian capital , in 1864 . The Circassians describe the catastrophe that befell their people as the first modern genocide .

The few Circassians able to remain in the Caucasus found themselves a minority in their own land , which was quickly settled by Russians . Those who were expelled or escaped were forced to migrate from country to country in search of safety and stability . Diaspora Circassians have faced huge challenges in attempting to preserve their identity and traditions and keep the memory of their homeland alive .

When it was announced that Sochi would host the 2014 Winter Olympics , there was an outcry among Circassians , who were profoundly insulted that the games would be staged on the graves of their ancestors , almost exactly 150 years after the Sochi `` last stand . '' Circassians launched global campaigns of protest amidst reports of human remains being discovered at Olympic construction sites .

The Circassians complained of intimidation by the Russians , who , for example , last month arrested eight prominent Circassian activists in the Caucasus , all of whom were respected public figures .

The Circassians found it intolerable not only that Sochi was selected to host the Olympics , but also that Russia did not seem to acknowledge that Circassians even lived there . When President Vladimir Putin delivered his bid for the games in a speech to the International Olympic Committee in 2007 , he said that the Sochi area used to be inhabited by ancient Greeks and did not mention the Circassians . This is noteworthy because not only did the Circassians live in the region at the time of the Greeks and maintain close ties with them , but they actually participated in the original Olympic games .

Russia 's indifference towards its indigenous people sharply contrasts with Canada 's policy at the last Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 . Then , for the first time in history , the native peoples of the area were made official hosts of the Olympics and were involved in every aspect of the games . A depiction of an inukshuk , an indigenous landmark and symbol , was featured as the official logo of the Olympics .

The governments of Canada and British Columbia contributed millions of dollars to centers that educated visitors about indigenous culture and history . Other recent Olympics , for example in Salt Lake City in 2002 , also prominently featured the native peoples of that area .

Despite Russia 's failures on the Circassian issue , Putin still has time to act . He has already taken the crucial step of allowing protests at the Olympics , and protesters , Circassian and otherwise , must be allowed to freely express themselves to the world 's media . Putin can also push for an acknowledgement of the Circassians at the opening ceremony and speak on the issue . A serious and sincere acknowledgment of the Circassians would help demonstrate to the world that Putin is serious about his vision of a modern and multiethnic `` new Russia . ''

The United States and Australia have officially apologized for the horrors they inflicted on indigenous peoples , and by taking positive action at the Sochi Olympics , Russia can move in a similar direction . Perhaps such a gesture of respect could help the nation find a solution to the festering problem of the Caucasus , where areas to the east of Sochi , such as Dagestan and Chechnya , remain in a state of war and hopelessness .

It is impossible to bring back the mass numbers of Circassians killed at Sochi and the surrounding region in the 19th century . What Russia , and all of us , can do is remember and honor them . By doing so , we affirm the important role that indigenous peoples must play in the 21st century , and also help ensure that the destruction of an entire people never happens again .

@highlight

Frankie Martin : Sochi 's indigenous people largely ignored in run-up to Olympics

@highlight

Putin 's talk of Sochi 's history leaves out Circassians , purged by Russia in 19th century

@highlight

He notes outcry from Circassian diaspora over Games being sited on graves of forebears

@highlight

Martin : Other Olympic hosts have recognized indigenous people ; Russia can still do this